2021 Hyundai Kona: facelifted crossover reaches Malaysia in record time

By daryl, 15 April 2021

Malaysians got a glimpse of what a Korean alternative to the Honda HR-V would be like when Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors (HSDM) first introduced the Hyundai Kona to the local market back in October 2020. It was a fairly belated introduction for a model that had already made waves in many foreign markets – some countries already welcomed a facelift by then. Fortunately, the wait for the updated model won’t be as long. In fact, it ends today. 

Yes, the facelifted 2021 Hyundai Kona is now officially on sale in Malaysia, just six months after the compact crossover first broke cover on our shores. It may sound like a disservice to the 60 or so existing Kona owners in the country. But that’s not necessarily true, particularly to those who managed to get their hands on the 1.6L Turbo model we tested last year. 

For the facelift, Hyundai’s Smartstream G2.0 powertrain is the sole engine on offer. The naturally-aspirated four banger is an Atkinson-cycle mill which differs slightly from the Nu four-banger used in the pre-facelift. That said, it outputs the same 149PS and 180Nm of torque to the front wheels via Hyundai’s version of a CVT it calls ‘Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT)’, which replaces the six-speed automatic that was offered previously. So that’s another potential plus point for early adopters who prefer a gearbox with actual gears. 

Funny enough, the new Kona is equipped with a 'Traction Control Mode' selector for snow, mud and sand even though it's strictly two-wheel drive. 

Kona
Kona

There’s also the subjective matter of which actually looks better: the original Kona or the facelift. Luc Donckerwolke’s design was refreshingly positive to begin with. For 2021, the front end has been substantially ‘softened’, with the grille and bumpers looking much sleeker but somewhat less rugged than before. Despite being largely the same car underneath, the facelift is 40mm longer than its predecessor thanks to these revisions. The wheel designs are new too, as is the interior and its 10.25-inch digital cluster with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity. 

That infotainment system is reserved for the range-topping Hyundai Kona Active, which also comes incredibly well-equipped on the safety front. Also exclusive to the higher-end variant is leather upholstery in two different colour choices, power-adjustable driver seat, digital climate control and a head up display.

The Active also gets the Hyundai Smartsense package, which includes driver aids such as blind spot collision avoidance assist, rear cross traffic collision avoidance assist, lane keep assist, high beam assist and front collision avoidance assist with improved pedestrian and vehicle detection. There's no adaptive cruise control here due to the lack of a front radar, but that’s plenty of avoidances and assists for the money, which brings us to the price…

The Standard variant of the 2021 Hyundai Kona starts things off at RM119,888 while the range-topping Active goes for RM136,888; so, that's an extra RM17k for all the extra kit. These prices are inclusive of road tax and a five-year warranty capped at 300,000km. Additionally, HSDM is offering free maintenance for up to three years or 50,000km for added peace of mind.  

Do you think this Korean number has what it takes to trouble the status quo? 

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